Michigan Senate Bill Would Require Seniors 75 And Older To Retake Driving Tests Every Four Years

State Senator Rosemary Beyer Introduces Controversial Licensing Proposal

LANSING — A new Michigan Senate bill would create the toughest senior licensing laws in the nation by mandating that drivers aged 75 and older repeatedly prove their ability to operate a vehicle.

Senate Bill 847, introduced by Democratic State Senator Rosemary Bayer on March 18, would require drivers between 75 and 84 years old to pass written, vision, and driving skills tests every four years to retain or obtain a driver's license. Under the proposal, those 85 and older would face annual testing requirements.

The bill is currently referred to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure chaired by Senator Erika Geiss and has not moved forward in the Senate.

This bill would mandate Michiganders between the ages of 75 and 84 to take a written, vision and driving skills test every four years to retain their licenses. Under that proposal, residents 85-and-older would need to pass those tests every year to stay on the road.

Bill Inspired By 2024 Tragedy

The proposal took inspiration from the death of Sarah Thexton, whom a 94-year-old motorist struck and killed in 2024. The driver hit Thexton's vehicle, and then inadvertently accelerated into the 59-year-old victim after she exited her car to assess the damage.

Some street safety advocates have focused on changing license laws to put more scrutiny on older drivers after the incident.

That is such a tragedy, and I really feel for that individual and their family. Unfortunately, this bill is not the right reaction, Cassie Thierfelder, manager of Advocacy for AARP Michigan.

Thierfelder acknowledged that drivers over 70 record higher per-mile fatal crash rates than other age groups. She pointed out, though, that this is in large part because seniors drive significantly fewer miles overall, and have more health conditions that make seniors themselves more likely to die in a crash than younger motorists, who are more likely to kill other people.

The overall crash rate per 100,000 licensed drivers steadily decreases as driver age increases, The National Safety Council noted. Fatal crashes per licensed driver start to tick up when drivers turn 75, but they're still less than any other age group — except seniors between the ages of 65 and 74.

Safety Versus Independence Debate

AARP Michigan argues that age alone is a poor predictor of driving ability and safety. Thierfelder told the ABC 57 legislative forum that the bill would impose unfair burdens by requiring the oldest drivers to pay private driving companies to administer road tests and shoulder the inconvenience and expense of annual DMV visits.

In the most car-dependent communities, the bill would also cut off access to the only form of transportation available — which could mean that seniors who fail their tests will just drive anyway, heaping potential criminal charges on top of safety risks.

This is about people's independence. Driving is often what allows seniors to get to their jobs, to get to healthcare appointments. This is especially true in Michigan; if you do not have access to other reliable transportation or public transportation, you need to have access to your vehicle to be able to be a full participant in your community.

Notably, the 94-year-old driver who killed Sarah Thexton did have ready access to public transit. She actually asked a judge to let her use it to attend her job as a court clerk before she had completed her 270-day house arrest sentence. A judge denied that request.

Current State of Senior Licensing

Illinois is currently the only state that requires any kind of repeat road test for elderly motorists — and it recently increased its testing threshold from 79 to 87 years old, with options for drivers with clean records to opt for a written test instead.

The Michigan bill takes a more aggressive approach than Illinois. Under current Michigan law, there are no additional driving tests based on age.

I understand that there is an interest people have — and I think it's fair — to try to make sure everyone that is driving is safe — and that's good for the drivers and everyone around them. But I have seen some concern about that as well to make sure it's a balancing act — that we're not trying to push people out of something that they've been so reliant on for so long, said Republican Senator for District 17, Jonathan Lindsey.

Republican State Rep for District 37, Brad Paquette, expressed opposition to the bill while it is still in the Senate. He told ABC 57 that helping keep people independent is where he stands, and that taking people's ability to drive is very threatening.

Helping keep people independent is where I stand. I think taking people's ability to drive is very threatening. I already had a bunch of constituent outreach on it. I'm very cautious about it and watching as it goes, Paquette said.

Alternative Approaches Proposed

Thierfelder argued that policymakers should make it easier for physicians to notify DMVs that specific patients are no longer medically safe to drive. She also called for allowing DMVs to impose re-testing requirements on people who have repeated violations or crashes — regardless of how old they are.

We can still address the concerns that they have about driver safety without it being solely based on age, Thierfelder said.

Transportation Alternatives

Thierfelder also argued that transportation leaders must create alternatives to driving that people of all ages feel comfortable using. She pointed out that this could look like frequent and reliable transit with discounts for older populations and people with lower incomes.

She also called for land use changes that place the destinations on which elderly residents rely within walking distance, accessible sidewalks, and policies to make e-bike and e-trike technology more suitable for seniors.

All of those strategies would protect public safety — without unfairly singling out older drivers, or undermining their mobility and their independence, Thierfelder said.

The bill has been referred to the state's Committee for Transportation and Infrastructure and has not moved forward in the Senate at this time.

Sources:

• https://usa.streetsblog.org/2026/04/08/michigan-bill-would-require-seniors-to-regularly-re-take-their-drivers-tests
• https://www.abc57.com/news/state-legislators-speak-on-controversial-seniors-driving-bill
• https://www.mls-era.org/capitol-news-april-2026/